| It seems that most studies of teaching | | | | complete answer since English is only |
| spelling begin at the same place: a child's | | | | partially phonetic. Rote memory can help. If |
| understanding of communication begins with | | | | a student has a printed list of the 100 or |
| sound. From infancy they are surrounded by | | | | 200 most common words in his writing folder |
| sounds, which become words. As they are | | | | it will serve as a reference source until the |
| exposed to printed text, they learn to | | | | correctly spelled word can be visualized. |
| associate phonemes, the sounds they here with | | | | |
| graphemes, the visual representation of those | | | | One of the important components of teaching |
| words. | | | | spelling is discussion of spelling patterns. |
| | | | All of the lessons we learned about long A's |
| Toddlers who are exposed to the alphabet are | | | | and short A's still apply. Showing a |
| usually fascinated with the letters. Once | | | | classroom that ea and ee both produce the |
| they have learned the names of the letters, | | | | long E sound will help a student sound words |
| they can begin to invent spellings. | | | | out and also narrow the possibilities for |
| | | | spelling an unfamiliar word. |
| Students entering the first grade will have | | | | |
| developed their invented spelling. At this | | | | Some of us are born spellers; some born |
| grade level when they begin to read, teaching | | | | mis-spellers. It seems to be as simple as |
| spelling becomes a critical part of the | | | | that, although dyslexia seems to be much more |
| process. Reading along with a spoken text | | | | common than originally thought when it was |
| will extend their grasp of letters and help | | | | first diagnosed. By the middle of the |
| them understand the complexities of certain | | | | elementary grades, it will be clear that |
| sounds and their related spellings. | | | | spelling ability varies greatly among |
| | | | students and that often it has little to do |
| Teaching spelling begins with lots of | | | | with native intelligence. |
| reading. If the student needs help, that's | | | | |
| just encouragement to keep on reading. Hand | | | | At this juncture, the most important traits |
| in hand with this early process is frequent | | | | for teaching spelling are patience and |
| writing assignments. Made up spellings are | | | | compassion. It is important to keep away or |
| the precursor to correct spellings, but the | | | | take away any stigma associated with the |
| student has to be comfortable with the | | | | problem. |
| process. | | | | |
| | | | Teaching spelling to problem spellers may |
| A suggested website to check out is: | | | | become a process of teaching the importance |
| | | | of proofreading. That's not a common process |
| Transitioning to proper spelling is another | | | | with elementary and secondary students but it |
| critical point in the process of teaching | | | | may become an important one for a student who |
| spelling. Reading helps, but it is not the | | | | struggles with spelling. |